Apparatus for enclosing container groups

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for enclosing a group of articles such as a six-pack of beverages having a divider separating the articles from each other includes a conveyor for moving the group in such a fashion as to receive the divider between the articles, the divider having a base element which is folded into position beneath the group, and including structure for thereafter enclosing the group with the base element of the divider maintained in position beneath the articles to prevent the upward movement thereof.

United States Patent [191 Walter Dec.9, 1975 APPARATUS FOR ENCLOSING CONTAINER GROUPS [75] Inventor: Richard T. Walter, Norristown, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Container Corporation of America,

Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: Apr. 7, 1975 21 Appl. No.2 565,574

[52] US. Cl 53/48; 53/157 [51] Int. Cl. B65B 21/24 [58] Field of Search 53/26, 48, 49, 156, 157

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,031,813 5/1962 Ganz 53/157 3,061,986 11/1962 Paps 53/48 3,473,295 10/1969 Nigrelli et al. 53/157 X Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Attorney, Agent, or FirmCarpenter, Ostis &

Lindberg [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for enclosing a group of articles such as a six-pack of beverages having a divider separating the articles from each other includes a conveyor for moving the group in such a fashion as to receive the divider between the articles, the divider having a base element which is folded into position beneath the group, and including structure for thereafter enclosing the group with the base element of the divider maintained in position beneath the articles to prevent the upward movement thereof.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Dec. 9 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,924,385

U.S. Patent Dec. 9 1975 Sheet2 0f3 3,924,385

Dec. 9 1975 Sheet 3 of 3 3,924,385

U.S. Patent APPARATUS FOR ENCLOSING CONTAINER GROUPS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention herein relates generally to apparatus for enclosing a discrete group of articles such as a sixpack of individual beverage containers, the containers being arranged in two rows with a divider therebetween, the articles in each-row being separated by elements extending from the divider. The invention herein is particularly directed to apparatus for enclosing the article group with a base element extending from the divider and beneath the articles of the group, such base element maintaining the divider in' position and preventing the upward and unintended movement thereof. The structure herein disclosed constitutes an improvement over that disclosed in Helms, U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,872, entitled Apparatus and Method for Enclosing Container Groups.

2. The Prior Art Structures for providing separation between the articles of a group are well known in the art, Forrer U.S. Pat. No. 2,877,894 being an example of a partition element extending between the two rows of an article group, the element being made part of the blank enclosing the article group.

The amount of paperboard employed for separating the articles of a package group is an important consideration as discussed in Helms U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,879.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The structure according to the present invention constitutes an improvement over the apparatus shown in Helms 3,751,872, and enables an improved partition divider to be placed between the articles of the group, the divider having the advantages of those disclosed in Helms U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,879, with the additional advantage that the divider is maintained in position and is prevented from riding up between the articles of the group.

THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a partition divider adapted to be used with the apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the partition divider of FIG. 1 moving into position with respect to an article group to separate the articles of the group;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the partition divider of FIG. 2 moving to a position of engagement with the article group seen in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a foot element of the divider being folded to position beneath the articles of the group.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5A is a plan view showing the partition divider engaged between the articles of the group;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a step wherein the article group with partition divider therein is enclosed by a carton tube;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the carton tube in position around the article group; and

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing the carton closed about an article group.

The apparatus according to the present invention is denoted generally by the reference numeral 10 and is adapted to enclose an article group constituting of bottles B seen in FIG. 5 and 5A with a carton C seen in FIG. 8. The Bottles B of the group are separated by an internal partition PDseen in FIG. 1. Partition PD, except for improvements thereto as disclosed herein, is disclosed in Helms U.S. Pat. No. 3,662,879, and includes a longitudinal me mber CP having transverse elements E extending laterally therefrom, the member CP separating the articles into two rows, and the elements E extending therefrom separating the articles within a row.

The apparatus according to the present invention is adapted to have the partition PD placed into an article group, it being subsequently enclosed within carton C shown in Helms U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,751,872 and RE. 27,624. carton C is in the form of a tube and consists generally of foldably connected side panels SP, bottom closure panels BP and top closure panels TP. Partition PD has a base element BE foldably connected thereto, it being folded into position by the apparatus according to the present invention to extend beneath one or more of the bottles B of the article group.

Referring now to FIG. 3 for an exemplory embodiment, the partition PD, which has had its transverse elements E extended laterally of the member CP thereof, is moved downward as indicated by the arrow between a pair of spaced rails 13 for guiding the same, the base element BE extending along side a plow 16 upstanding from a base plate 14 beneath the rails of 13.

Structure is provided, not shown, for advancing the partition PD in a horizontal direction as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 3 and 4. During such advance, the base element BE is folded along a ramp 17 of plow 16, the ramp being continuous with a horizontal extending element 18 of plow to lie thereon and be moved therealong.

Bottles B of an article group are moved into position as seen in FIG. 3, preferably by means of a star wheel, a device well known in the art, and the star wheel, not shown, is adapted to move the articles along converging support rails 11 and between a pair of converging side rails 12, the elements E of the partition PD extending from longitudinal member CP and between the articles within a row, the base element BE being already folded to horizontal position to lie beneath one or more of the bottles B of a row. During such movement of the partition PD seen in FIG. 3, the base element BE is supported along a central horizontal guide rail 18.

Thereafter, the support rails 11 become co-extensive with a pair of spaced rails 19 upon which the bottles B are supported, and as seen in FIG. 6, a carton tube C is moved downward to enclose the articles B. The now enclosed articles B move onto more closely spaced rails 21, the upstream end of the rails 21 having entrance ramps 22 so that the base element BE can move into a position atop one of the spaced rails 21 and beneath one or more .1 1 the articles B of a row.

Thereafter, as seen in FIG. 7, the article group goes through the closing steps as disclosed in the aforementioned Helms U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,872, the finished carton with the article group therein appearing as seen in FIG. 8, the base element BE being in position as shown at the broken away portion of the carton C. The steps of closing carton C as disclosed in said Helms patent are incorporated by reference herein.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for enclosing a group of articles, such as cans or bottles, arranged in side-by-side rows within a carton which has bottom and side panels and an internal partition which includes a longitudinal member located between the rows of articles, transverse elements extending from the longitudinal member between the articles of each row, and a base element hingedly attached to a lower portion of the longitudinal member, said apparatus comprising:

a. conveying means for said articles;

b. means for moving said partition toward said articles;

c. means for folding said base element to a position normal to said longitudinal member;

(1. means for bringing said partition and said articles into juxtaposition with a longitudinal member extending between the rows of the articles, the transverse members extending between the articles of each row, and the base element underlying at least one of the articles;

e. means for enclosing said article group in said carton after said partition is in place.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveying means includes support rails for said articles with said base element moving beneath the level of the surfaces of said support rails and wherein during move ment of said base element the position thereof is changed to beneath at least one of said articles.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said support rails are discontinuous for changing the position of said base element.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said base element moves along a ramp to position beneath said articles. 

1. Apparatus for enclosing a group of articles, such as cans or bottles, arranged in side-by-side rows within a carton which has bottom and side panels and an internal partition which includes a longitudinal member located between the rows of articles, transverse elements extending from the longitudinal member between the articles of each row, and a base element hingedly attached to a lower portion of the longitudinal memBer, said apparatus comprising: a. conveying means for said articles; b. means for moving said partition toward said articles; c. means for folding said base element to a position normal to said longitudinal member; d. means for bringing said partition and said articles into juxtaposition with a longitudinal member extending between the rows of the articles, the transverse members extending between the articles of each row, and the base element underlying at least one of the articles; e. means for enclosing said article group in said carton after said partition is in place.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said conveying means includes support rails for said articles with said base element moving beneath the level of the surfaces of said support rails and wherein during movement of said base element the position thereof is changed to beneath at least one of said articles.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said support rails are discontinuous for changing the position of said base element.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said base element moves along a ramp to position beneath said articles. 